Window Expo Neon Markers!?

Ok have these just been out for a long time and I am JUST now discovering them??? I know they were $8 for a pack of four but I just HAD to get some! These are absolutely fascinating to me for some odd reason. I have big windows in my room but not a good view at all. We get to stare at concrete walls all day since we are down here in the "dungeon" floor.

I guess I really shouldn't complain, I've had classrooms where I have not had any windows whatsoever. YUCK.

So I decided to do a little experimenting and draw some Van Gogh style clouds to match the theme of my classroom.

You can see my MUCH amazement.

What little I got done till my 7th graders walked in for class. Will definitely finish and post pics of soon!

Sketchbooks

I started giving sketchbook assignments last semester. I'm a big believer in students having their own sketchbooks. It gives them something they can take out of class to have and remember their experience by. Sketchbook assignements are also a GREAT thing to assign so they have work to do after they complete their assignments for the day. We get about 4 sketchbook assignments a semester. They are to complete them IN class when they have free time. Surprisingly, they are able to get them all done without having to take them home (minus a few slackers :))

I know several teachers who are able to buy cheap sketchbooks for their students. I know SaxArts has some for as little as $3. However, I have 280+ kids so we have been making our own. They really enjoy learning how to make them and we have a lot of fun making them together. I hope in the future to bring in lots of goodies for them to decorate their sketchbooks with-- scrapbook paper, stickers, beads, etc.

Here is the kind of stitch we do --- the pamphlet stitch. We do it a little differently, instead of cutting the tops and bottoms, we poke just 3 holes in the spine and we stitch it together with bobby pins and yarn instead of ribbons.

Happy sketchbook making!!!

School already?!!

WHAT? WHERE did the summer GO???? I feel like the older I get the faster my summers are!

I tell ya, the beginning of this school year has been SO busy that I have not blogged yet??? DANG. Not to mention, my teacher license is expiring next August. I discovered that I will need to do 45 professional development hours this year in order to be able to get it reissued to me. Whew, what a year this will be.

I can already tell this year is going to be a great year. I have a lot of familiar faces in my classes this year which makes the year a lot easier when you already know a lot of your students.

There are several changes this year, including my schedule. My new daily routine is:

A DAY
1st Block- 7th Grade
2nd Block- 8th Grade
3rd Block- Planning, Lunch (2nd Lunch Duty)
4th Block- 6th Grade
5th Block- 6th Grade

B DAY
1st Block- 7th Grade
2nd Block- 8th Grade
3rd Block- Planning, Lunch (2nd Lunch Duty)
4th Block- 6th Grade
5th Block- 7th Grade

The past few weeks have consited of us playing games to get to know each other better as well as doing several drawing activities to show what level of skill they have. I am doing a more tidious job of teaching procedures in the classroom. I had WAY too many "where do I put this? Where do I turn this in?" last year. NO EXCUSES this year!! We have gone over and gone over our areas of the classroom till I have been blue in the face!

I would LOVE to post pictures of my classroom today buuuuuuut, it's still a big work in progress. I will say, that I have some amazing and great things planned for it though. I can't wait till it's done so I can show my kids :)

We are all starting our first projects today. I will be posting some images of their classwork drawing assignments later in the week.

Until then, see ya lata!

-Mrs. G